beugler



'July 7sa 1925.' .545,31

E. F. @EUC-ELE@ HEADING KQLLE FOR BARREL MAKING MACHINES g5 if 'MMIII if July 7, i925. 1.545.031

' E. F. BEQGLER HEADING HOLDER FOR B/ARREL MAKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jly 7, 1925.

E. F, EEUGLER HEADING HOLDER FOR BARREL MAKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet ,Filad Feb. 1,5, 192s July?, 1925. 1 1,545,031

E. F. BEUGLER HEADING HOLDER FOR BARREL MAKNG MACHINES Filed Fab. 1,5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN F. BEUS-LER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, .ASSGNOR TO E. 8c B. HOLMES' MA- CHINEBY COMPANY, OF BUFFALO,.1\TEN YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HEAING HOLDER- FOP.- BARREL-MAKING MACHINES.

Application l'ed February 15, 1923. Serial No. 619,253.

To' all' whom t may concern:

Be it known tha-tl, EDWTN F. BEUGLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, i-n the county of Erie and State of New York,'have Vinvented new andl useful Improvements in Heading Holders for Barrel-Making Machines, of which the follow'- ingis a specification.

This invention relates tov a pneumatic holder or gripper for use in handling articles such as barrel heads while taking them one at a time froml a supply stack and introducing the same successively into the end-s of barrels preparatory to securing the heads in the barrels, which operation is generally known as heading up in thev cooperage art.

The object of this invention` is to produce a holder for the heading ofl barrels and similar articles which is -simple in construction, reliable and efficient inx operation and capablev ofV being readily operated manually with ease and facility.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved holder for heading up machines showing ka barrelv headsupported thereby preparatory to introducing the same between the ends of the sta-ves at one end of thebarrel. Figure 2isa topfplan vi'ew'of the same with the barrelfhead andstaves omit-ted. Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, partly broken away. Figurey 4 is a horizontal section: taken on line 4 4, Fig. 6. Figure 51 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Figure G is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of' the holder, showing the same holdingv a' barrel head within the croze of the staves, the section being taken online 6 6, Fig. 2. Figure 7 is a horizontal lsection taken on line 7 7, Fig. 6. Figures 8l and 9 are horizontal sections taken on line 8 9,1Fi'g. o,y looking upwardly and' downwardly, respectively. Figure 10 is a 'sectionalI view. of the holder simil'ar to Fig. 6, but showing the position of the parts' when no heading is being held. FigureV 11 is a fragmentary vertical section taken atv right angles to Fig. 10L and in line Il lfl of the same.

Similar characters ofY reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Then using the holder, the same iS Operserting the same into the barrel intended to receive the sameV My improved barrel head'holder comprises generally a lower pneumatic gripperv adapted to engage with the top of a barrel head and to become attached thereto by vacuum air pressure, a suction head adapted to be connected and disconnectedy with said gripper by al valve mechanism and a-n exhaust or suction pipe which carries the suction head.

The exhaust or suction pipe 16 is preferably arranged horizontally and' somounted that the same can rise and fall. and' also move horizontally back and forth between the feeder which supplies the barrel heads from a stack andI the barrel holder which supports the previously assembled' barrel staves 14 for receiving the heading. At its rear end the exhaust pipe is connected with an air exhausting device of any suitable character so as to create an upward suction of air through the gripper and' suction head.

The pneumatic gripper comprises a gripper head having a horizontal topy plate 17 providedy at its margin with a depending annular flange or rim 18, both offwhich are preferably formed integrally of sheet metal and form a gripping chamber which opens downwardly. @n its inner side the i'iange 18 is provided with a gripping ring 19 of metal, the lower edge of which hasjserrations 2O so that when the same enga-ges the topA of a barrel head` 15 it will obtain a sufliciently firm hold thereon to' compel' the head to turn about a vertical axis and' thereby facil-itatethe entranceof'the chainfered edge 12 ofthe head into thel croze 133 ong the inner sides of the staves.

A substantially air tight joint is produced between' the manginalpart lof the gripper and the head by means of a flexible sealingflap or gasket 21 preferably of downwardly lar-ing form which is arranged on the underside of the plate l'near its edge and secured at its upper edge by clamping rings 22, 23 and bolts 24 to this plate 17 while its lower edge when free projects below the serrations 2O but is deflected upwardly in line witlrthe same by engagement with the upper side of the barrel head as the latter' is engaged by the gripper. The descent of the gripper relatively to the barrel stavesis limited by stops 25 arranged on t-he marginal part of the gripper head and adapted to engage with the upper edges of the barrel staves when the barrel head is in line with the croze of the staves. Rocking and oscillating of the gripper head so as to work the edge of the barrel head into the croze, if the parts fit close, is effected by means of suitable handles 26 arranged on the upper side of the gripper head.V

On its front end the suction pipe has mounted thereon the suction head 27 containing tlre suction chamber 28 which communicates on its side with the suction pipe while its open underside is adapted to communicate with the chamber within the gripper head. In order to permit of rocking the gripper head on the suction head for working the barrel head into the croze of lthe staves a universal connection is provided between the same which preferably has the form of a gimbal joint and is constructed as follows 29 represents an inner gimbal ring arranged around the open lower end of the suction head and pivotally connected therewith so as to be capable of turning about a horizontal axis relatively thereto by two horizontal pivot pins 30 arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the vertical axis of this ring and each passing radially through 'one part of this ring and a lug 3l depending from the adjacent edge portion ofthe suction head, this pin being preferably provided at its outer end with a. head 32 bearing against the outer side of this ring and the inner' end of th'e same being provided with a cotter pin 33 which retains the same in said lug 3l.

Surrounding the inner gimbal ring is an outer gimbal 34 which is preferably of greater width and projects above and below the inner ring and is pivotally connected with the same by two outer pivot pins 35 arranged on diametrically opposite sides of these rings and at right angles to the pivot pins 30 and each passing radially through corresponding openings therein so that the outer and inner gimbal rings can turn about the horizontal axis of the pins 35 in a plane at right angles to the plane in which the inner gimbal ring turns relatively to the suction head The pivot pins 35 are confined in the gimbal rings byzcotter pins 36 passing through the same adjacent tothe inner side of the inner gimbal ring and the cuter side of the outer gimbal ring, as best shown in Fig (i.

Means are provided for detachably'connecting the gripper head with the outer gimbal ring which means are preferably so constructed as to permit the gripper head tocbe turned about its vertical axis for working the barrel head into the croze -or chine ywith an upwardly facing annular shoulder 38, and a coupling ring 39 is provided which surrounds the rim 37 and has an upper inwardly projecting flange4() engaging with the shoulder 3S and lower laterally projecting lugs 4l of hook shape which receive bolts 42 whereby this coupling ring is detachably connected with the plate of the gripper head, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 6 and 10. By means of this construction the gripper head is compelled to rock with the outer gimbal ring, but can turn about its own upright axis independently thereof, and by loosening the bolts 42, the same may be withdrawn from the coupling ring lugs 4l for replacing the respective gripper head with one of a dilferent'size to fit the diameter of the barrels to be headed.

The rotary movement of the gripper head relatively tothe suction head is preferably limited so that the operating handles will not become out of place and for this purpose the upper side of the coupling rinfr 39 is provided'with two stop lugs 43, 44, which are spaced apart circumferentially and are adapted to engage opposite sides of the outer end yof one of the outer pivot pins 35 which are sufficiently long for this purpose, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

A practically air tight joint is maintained between the suction head and the gripper head by a sealing ring of rubber or similar flexible material which surrounds the suction head and rests with its inner edge portion upon an upwardly facing annular shoulder 45 on the lower part of the suction head while the outer marginal portion of this sealing ring engages with the upper edge of the outer gimbal ring. The inward suction of air due to the exhausting effect produced inthe suction or exhaust pipe causes the sealing ring 70 to be tightly drawn against the shoulder 45 and the outer gimbal ring and thus concentrate the snction effect on the barrel head which is held by the gripper head, and still permit the gripper to be rocked for working the barrel head into the croze of the staves Communication between the interior of `the suction head and the interior of the gripper head is effected through a central opening 46 in the gripper head plate t7 and a valve mechanism which is constructed as follows:

47 is a: valve plateextending across the space within the outer giinbal ring below the innerl gimbal' ring; and preferably formed integral therewith, said pla-te beingr provided with a central guide opening 48" and' a plurality ofv valve openings or ports 49 arrange-d in an annular row around said. central opening. Below the valve. plate the outer gimbal ring is provided with an annular rabbet 50 the upper side of which forms a downwardly facing shoulder which is flush with the underside of this valve'plate and: forms a valve seat therewith. Engaging its upper side with the valve seatV on this valve plate a-nd rabbet is a. rotary valve 51, of'disk shape provided with an. annular row of openings or ports 52 which are adapted' upon turning the valve disk to. either register with the openings' in the valve plate for opening the valve, as shown in Fig; 6, or not tov registerl with the same forv closing this valve as` shown in Figs. l() and 11. The valve disk, when closed, is drawn against its seat by the suction of the airI through the exhaust pipe, but when it is open it rests with its underside against the top of the gripper plate around the' opening 46 in the latter, said plate andv rabbet in the outer gimbalring together forming a guide way in which the valve rotates and is supported' at its edge. In its center the' valve disk is provided with a vertically extending opening 54 which is square or flat sided in cross section and which receives av correspondingly shaped coupling head 53 which ismounted on the Tower end of a valve operatingrod or stem 55. The latter is arranged vertically within the gripper and suction heads andl passes with its upper part through a guide opening 56 in the top of the suction head 'and' with its lower part through the central openings in the valve plate and disk and terminates with its lower end' normally below the lower edge of the gripper head, as shown in Figs. 1'0 and 11. The coupling head 53 is preferably constructed i-n theform of a nut which is secured to `thelower part of the operating, rod 55- by means o-f a. screw joint and also bya pin 57 passing through the nut' and rod.

`By means of this joint between the valve disk and operating rod, these two members are compelled to turn together but the operating rod? is free toy move lengthwise relatively to the valve disk fora. purpose which will presently appear. Above the suction head the valve operating rod has fixed thereon a.Y handle' 58 which is grasped by the operator for manipulating the valve and this handle is adapted when in its lowered position tol be held against turning in the direction for opening the valve, this bei-ng preferably accomplislied by locking lugs 59 arranged on the lower end of; the valve handle 58 and cOppeI-atingjwith locking lugs 60 arranged on thev upper side of the suction head, as shown in Fig.. 10i

Means are provided which. tend constantly to turn the operating rod and associated parts inl the directionI for opening the air valve and also hold the operating rod yield-ingly in its depressedy position.` In their preferred form these means comprise a helical spring 61 surroundingl the operatingv rod within the suction hea-d andA se? cured? at itsV upper end to anr anchor lug 62 on the upper part of the suction head while its lower end is fastened to a screw 63 which secures af collar 64 to thev operating rod within the suctioir head.

In the inoperative conditionofthe heard?- ing holder the valve operating'rod is: turned soI that the coupling head thereon turns the air valve into its closed position for' cutting off the air suction through the gripperhead, during which movement the spring 61v is wound up and the tension upon the same is increased, and at the same time, the operating rod isA depressed and its handle interlocked with the suction liead so'v as tohold the; air valve in its closed position, as shown in'y Fig. 10. Upon .lowering the holder' toward a barrel head which is to be transported or pushing lsuch ahead upward againstV the holder, the movement. ofthe gripper head and barrel head one toward the other causes the barrel head' to engage the lower end of the valve operating rod' and to pushl the latter upward" relatively to'- theY gripper -and suction head until they barrelf head is'v` engaged by' the serrated edge of the gripper head andY the sealing ring' of the gripper head has beenv deflected rand formed a tightjoint between the barrel head and the gripper head.v Euring the last part' of the upward movement of the valve operating rod by engagement with the barrel head, the handle of the operating rodi is` unlocked from the suction head which permits the valve spring to instantly turn`v the valvey rod andthe air valveA coupled? therewith intoA an open position, as indicated in Fig. 6, thereby Vpermitting the eXha-using eif'ect in the eX- haust pipe to be exerted on the barrel head for firmly holding the latter against the underside ofthe gripper head. Vhile the barrel' head is thus held by the holder the latter is moved over the place where the barrel is located and' then lowered' for bringing the barrel heady within the staves and in line with the croze or chine therein which position is determined by the stops 25 onV the gripper head engaging with the upper edges of the barrel staves. After' the barrel head has been thus lowered between the barrel staves the latter are drawn inwardly by suitable means for causing them to contract and engage the croze therein withthe chamfered edge of the barrel head, preparatory to receiving a hoop 65. The operator then turns the valve into its closed position by means of the handle 58 so as to cut ofi' the air suction from the gripper and the instant this occurs the hold of the gripper on the barrel is released and the holder can be raised independently of the barrel head while the latter is left within the barrel staves.V `As the holder is raised off the barrel head the operator depresses the handle 58 so as to interlock the same with the suction head and hold the valve in its closed position, preparatory to picking up the next barrel head and inserting the same within the staves of a barrel in the manner described.

The rotary movement of theair valve is preferably limited in both directions so that the same will come to a stop in its fully opened and its fully closed position for which purpose the valve is preferably provided on diametrically opposite sides oi its periphery with stop lugs' '66 each of which is adapted to engage with a closing stop 67 or an opening stop; 68 which stops are arranged in the rabbet of the coupling ring and suit-ably spaced apart to permit the valve to effect the requisite oscillating movementto either turn on the air suction or cut the same oii'.

In order to prevent the air valve from becoming detachedfrom the valve plate when the top plate of the gripper head is removed from the coupling ring upon changing from one side of the gripper head to another, each of the opening stops 68 of the outer gimbal ring is provided with a beveled or undercut face' 69 and the corresponding side of the stop lug 66 engaging therewith has a similarly undercut base'7l so that when these corresponding pairs of undercut surfaces engage with each other, the same interlock in the manner of hooks as shown in Figs. 3 and V5, which effectually sustains the valve plate in its elevated position under the rotary pressure ofthe valve spring and prevents the valve disk from droping out of place' when the gripper head is temporarily removed.

This apparatus is very eiiicient in operation and permits of Y transferring. barrel heads to barrel staves Jfor assembling the sameexpeditiously and with a minimum expenditure of labor and power. Furthermore the several parts are not liable to wear unduly or get out of order and the same are so constructed thatthey can be quickly and easily dismembered and assembled for adapting the holder for gripping vdifferent sizes of barrel heads and fitting them into correspondingly arranged barrel staves.v

I claim as my invention: 1. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head adapted to engage an artlcle,

rings being pivotally connected with one 0f c said heads on a diametrical line at right angles to the first mentioned diametrical line and the other ring being connected with the other head. 4

2. A pneumatic gripper comprising a vgripper head adapted to engage` an article,

a suction head adapted tobe connected with an air exhausting device, and a unlversal couplmgconnectmg said gripper head and suction head includingtwo gimbal urings i which are arranged one within the other and which are pivotally connected with each other on one diametrical line and one of said rings being pivotally connected with one of saidjheads on a diametrical line at right angles to the iirst mentioned diametrical line and the other ring being connected with the other head.

- 3. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head adapted to engage an article, a suction head adapted to be connected with an air exhausting device,` and a universal coupling connecting said gripper head and suctionhead including an inner -gimbal ring pivotally connected on diametrically opposite sides by radial pivots withV said suction head, and an outer gimbal ring surrounding Vthe inner gimbal ring and pivotally connected with the same on diametrically opposite sides by radial pivots arranged at'right angles to the first mentioned pivots and also connected with said gripper head.

t. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head adapted to engage an article,

a suction head adapted to be connected with i an air exhausting device, a universal coupling connecting said `gripper head and suction head including tworgimbal rings which are pivotally connected with each other and on one diametrical line androne of said rings being pivotally connected with one of sald heads on a diametricalline at right angles to the iirst mentioned diametrical line and the other ring being connected with the other head, and a lexible closure extending from said suction head Yacross said universalcoupling. i Y i 5. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head adapted to engage ans article,

a suction head adapted to be connected` withv an air exhausting device, a universal `coupling connecting said gripper head and` suction head including an inner gimbalfring pivotally connected by radial pivots with said suction head, and an outer gimbal ring pivo'tally connected with said innerring by radial pivots arranged at right angles to the first mentioned pivots and also vconnected With -said gripper head, and a flexible `closure extending 'from said suction head across said universal coupling. l 1

6. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head adapted lto enage an article, a suction head adapted to 'be connected with an air exhausting device, a universal lcoupling connecting saidjgripper head and suction head including an inner gimbal ring pivotally connected by radial pivots With said suction head, and an outer gimbal ring pivotally connected With said .inner ring loy radial pivots arranged at right angles to the first mentioned pivots and also connectedvvith said ,gripper head, said suction headhaving an upwardly facing external shoulderand said outergimbalring extending above Vthe inner ginibal ring, and a flexible ring resting at its inner and outer edges on said shoulder-and upper edge oi` said outer gimloal ring, respectively.

7. A .pneumatic gripperl comprising a gripper head adapted to engage an article, a .suction head adapted -to be connected With an .air exhausting device, a universal 'coupling-connectin'g said gripper head and suction Vhead including an inner gimbal ring pivotally connectedlby radial pivots with said suction head, and an outer gim'bal ring pivotally connected With said inner ring by V,ra-.dial lpivots arranged at lright angles to "the yfirst mentioned pivots,and means for detachv,ably Vconnecting said outer gimbal ring with said gripper head.

L8. -A pneumatic gripper Acomprising a gripper head adapted t'o-e'ngage an article, a suction .head `adapted 'to be connected With ,an air exhausting device, a universal coupling connecting'said :gripper head and suction head including an inner gimbal ring 4pivotally connected lby radial pivots with said suction head, and an outer gimbal ring pivotally connected vWith-said inner ring by radial pivots arranged at right angles to the iirs't .mentioned pivots, and means for detachablyconnecting said youter gimbal ring with said gripper-head Ycomprising a coupling ring having an inwardly projecting iilangewhich overhangs said outer gimbal V,ringzand outwardly projecting lugs connect- 4ed with said ygripper head.

.saidsuction head, and an outer gimbal ring pivot-ally connected with said inner ring by radial Vpivots arranged at rightangles tothe first mentioned pivots, and means for detachably connecting said outer gimbal ringv With said gripper head comprising a cou'- pling ring having an inwardly projecting iiange which overhangs said outer gimbal ring and outwardly projecting lugs vleach of which is hook-shaped, and bolts passing through said hook shaped lugs and said gripper head; i

10.*A pneumatic Agripper comprising a gripper head 'adapted to engage an article, a suction head adapted to be connected With an air exhausting device, a universal Acoupling connecting said gripper head and suction head including an inner gimbal ring pivotally connected by radial pivots with said suction head, and an outer gimbal ring pivotally connected With said "in-ner ring by radial pivots arranged at right angles to the first `mentioned pivots, `and means or de- .tachably connecting said outer gimloal ring AWith-said gripper head comprising a coupling ring .having an inwardly projecting liange which overhangs said outer gimbal ring and outwardly projecting lugs connected With vsaid gripper head, and said outer gimbal ring and coupling ring being provided with .c0- operating stops for limiting the rotary movement of said gripper head relatively to said suction head.

11. A pneumatic gripper comprising a 'gripper head, a suction head adapted vto be connected With an air exhausting device, yand a valve for controlling the -flovv of air from said gripper head to said suction head comprising a valve plate having air ports, a rotary valve having ports adapted to .move

Vinto and out of register With the ports in said plate, for opening and closing said valve, a spring tending to turn said valve disk in the direction i'or opening said valve, and locking means for holding said valve .in its closed position.

l2. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head, a suction head adapted to be connected with an air exhausting device-,and a valve Vfor controlling the loW of air from said gripper head to said suction Vhead comprising a valve plate having air ports, arotary valve vhaving ports adapted to `move into and out of register With the ports in .said plate for opening and closing said valve, a spring tending to turn said valve disk in the direction for opening said valve, and locking Ymeans for holding said valve in its closed position and which are adapted to be unlocked by engagement with an. article.

13. A pneumatic gripper comprising a gripper head, a suction head adapted Vto be connected with an air exhausting device, and a valve for controlling the flow of air from said gripper head to said suction .head comprising a valve plate having air ports, a rotary valve having ports adapted to move into and out oi lregister with the ports .in 

